The invention concerns a homokinetic coupling comprising a housing or outer ring having a cavity defining a spherical surface which is accessible at least at one edge and an inner ring having an outer surface formed by a spherical surface and adapted for positioning within the cavity. The spherical surface of the inner ring is fashioned with a set of axially extending grooves. The bottoms of the grooves provide a rolling surface for the flattened ends of a set of balls. The opposite ends of the balls are accommodated in a rotating relationship in recesses formed in the inner surface of the outer ring. Such a homokinetic coupling is disclosed in Dutch patent application 7902092.
In the known homokinetic coupling the recesses of the housing for accomodating the balls are axially extending grooves fashioned in the spherical surface of the cavity of said housing. These grooves as well as the grooves in the inner ring, must deepen as they extend toward the open edge of the cavity so that the optimal transfer of torque at various angles between the axes of symmetry of the inner and outer rings may be attained. Resilient retaining rings are attached to the inner ring and the housing about the open edge of the cavity to prevent the balls from disengaging from the grooves. Obviously, the specific shape of the grooves increases the manufacturing costs of the coupling.
The manufacturing costs of this homokinetic coupling are comparatively high, owing to the fact that the grooves must have a specific shape, in particular, must be formed becoming deeper.
The object of the invention is to procure a homokinetic coupling of the type mentioned which may be manufactured more cheaply.
British patent specification 1088615 discloses a homokinetic coupling with rolling members each having a recess. The rolling members are flattened at two diametrically opposing edges. A recess is formed in one flattened edge while the other flattened ball edge rests against the inner edge of a cylindrical surface of the cavity of the outer ring. Projecting cams which are mounted in the bottom of axially extended grooves of the inner ring are accommodated in the recesses.